Your son just won his 3rd consecutive Chess tournament, but you’ve run out of space on his burgeoning bedroom shelves. So where do you put this trophy and all the other trophies he will win in the future? Well, if you have a fireplace mantel you have just solved your problem!

Your In-Home Trophy Case

Even if your kid isn’t a world class Chess champ, the fireplace mantel is the perfect place for showing off even the smallest of your child’s achievements. Whether your child is Mathlete of the year, or JV MVP you can store all of his precious placards on the mantel.

Just to see your child’s eyes light up at the mommy-built shire in honor of all his hard work, makes dusting it all well worth it.  It won’t matter that the only thing of material value on the fireplace mantel are the screws that hold the trophies together, because the feeling of accomplishment will follow him throughout his life.

I know that this sounds a little far-fetched, but sometimes it’s the little things a parent does, that shapes the lives of their children.

Your In-Home Picture Gallery

If you adore the works of Georgia O’Keefe or if Thomas Kinkade is more your style, you can proudly display your works of art on your fireplace mantel. Made from wood, marble, or even synthetic plastic the fireplace mantel can be designed and installed to fit any art lover’s decorative desires. 

Why not add some recessed lighting and mirrors around your fireplace to give the picture gallery effect to your living room. Creating an in-home picture gallery is easy and fun. Just pull your masterpieces out of the attic, put them on or above your fireplace mantel and sit back. The adoring public will be by shortly.

Your In-Home Antiques Store

Visit any antiques stores lately? Have you chanced upon an Antiques Roadshow? Have you been hiding a family heirloom in your dusty attic for years? If you have discovered a musty treasure why not clean it up and put it on display in your living room?

A fireplace mantel can be the perfect place to show off your antique mantel clocks, porcelain rooster collection, or a collection of antique vases. No matter how old or how new your collection, you can cherish it by the fire for years.

I hope that I have convinced you of the many uses for your fireplace mantel. Don’t let it just be empty space. Fill it with those things that truly matter, and let others enjoy them as well.

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The trend of building outdoor fire pits and fireplaces is catching on at a fast pace. Outdoor fireplaces come in many designs and themes and are available in portable and custom models. Outdoor fireplaces are to be built according to local codes, which usually specify the firebricks to be used. Two important factors are safe design and ventilation.

Any outdoor fireplace design is similar to that of an indoor fireplace. One exception is that dampers are not used in outdoor fireplaces. A tall chimney, the major component of any fixed type outdoor fireplace, provides shelter from the smoke. Mexican style chimney pots called chimeneas are a beautiful addition. Outdoor fireplaces may be designed with a bowl-shaped base with a single opening connected to a stack or chimney. It circulates air into the fire and emits smoke out of the top of the stack. Etched cast iron, aluminum, or clay and terracotta are used as raw materials for fireplace construction. Cast-iron and cast aluminum outdoor fireplaces are durable and resist roaring flames and high temperatures.

Lavers and Fire Rings are low cost, decorative portable fireplaces that can be moved with ease from one place to another. Integrated fireplaces are another option and these maybe freestanding or attached. English, Eastern brick, Southwestern adobe, or Old World traditional are among the popular designs and themes.

An outdoor fireplace has a crown, overmantel, mantel shelf, header, filler panel, fire box, leg, plinth base, and hearth. Some models use the combined form of mantel shelf and header.

Masonry construction is more durable than metal or prefabricated fireboxes, which may rust when exposed to rain or snow. Fire Rock’s pre-engineered fireplace system is faster and less-expensive than hand-built, brick and mortar structures. In this case, the raw materials are available in a kit, and the homeowner can install the fireplace easily. The newly constructed fireplace is then covered with the finishing material such as brick, stone, stucco or manufactured stone.

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Fireplace mantels can make or break the interior design of a room whether you use your fireplace or not. Because a fireplace takes up a large section of a wall or dominate a corner, they naturally draw the eye when you first walk into a room. Go for the “cool” factor by incorporating a great design or material in your mantel.

Most people perceive fireplace mantels as those shelves that extend out beyond the firebox. However, a mantel can encompass not only an ornamental framing around the firebox, but also the facing which makes up the outside of the fireplace “wall.” If your fireplace has a mantel shelf, the panel or area above it can also be construed as part of the mantel as well.

Many fireplace mantels are made from non-flammable materials for safety and can be incorporated into the design until it butts into the opening of the firebox. No facing is needed. However, if you decide to use other materials like plaster, drywall, fiberboard or wood, you will have to use a noncombustible material to create a facing that frames the firebox. Consult with your local building safety inspectors to determine the measurements of this facing to avoid creating a fire hazard.

Because fireplace mantels are a highly visible element in any room, take your time and shop around for a few options. Fireplace stores will have a variety of options on their showroom floors. Even home improvement centers can offer up some ideas. Do a little research on the internet for inspiration. When you have narrowed down your designs, do a little budget exercise to see how much you are willing to spend on creating a new mantel. If you are not an adept handyman, enter the cost of a contractor into the budgetary equation.

There are a number of prefabricated kits on the market that are geared toward the home do-it-yourselfer. These can be found in a number of styles and materials like solid wood, metal or items with a wood veneer finish. You can also purchase pre-made mantel pieces that are a natural wood or fiber board. With this option, it is less expensive and you can either paint or stain it to your specifications so that it matches your room’s décor.

Starting fireplace mantels from scratch is the optimal choice, but most people buy a home with an existing fireplace. When the mantel does not reflect the new homeowner’s taste, they can either purchase the prefabricated kits as mentioned above or have a mantel custom made-to-order.

This is especially attractive option if the mantel area is an odd shape.

However, expect custom jobs to be pricey.

Do-it-yourselfers can also give existing fireplace mantels a cosmetic facelift. This could be anything from simply painting the brick or resurfacing it with a thin stone veneer. Plastering or drywalling over an existing mantel are other options. Theoretically, you are only limited by your imagination and of course, your wallet! Just think things through before setting the wheels in motion for your mantel re-do.

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